Tennessee Senate Judiciary Fails Bill To Enforce Boundaries Of Inferior Courts

Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov

The Tennessee Conservative Staff –

A bill that would prevent lower courts from having subject matter jurisdiction over cases regarding a challenge to a rule or procedure of the General Assembly failed in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

Senate Bill 2225 (SB2225), sponsored by Senator Adam Lowe (R-Calhoun-District 1), did not receive the needed votes to be passed on.

Lowe stated the bill would basically affirm that a smaller, local court cannot interfere with decorum rules of the Tennessee House or Senate.

Instead, cases that were brought must go before the Federal district court who would then determine if it needed to be sent to the Tennessee Supreme Court.

He noted that the House Companion Bill 1652 (HB1652) has already passed through that body.

Representative Brent Taylor (R-Memphis-District 31) and Representative Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield-District 23) both asked why such cases would not just go before the super chancery court that was created by the General Assembly a few years ago.

Lowe stated that he was not sure and said that was just not the bill that was drafted. He said that a solution was being looked for and this is just what was decided on at the time.

With no other questions, Chairman Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga-District 10) called for a roll call vote.

Voting in favor of the bill were Senators Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol-District 4), Paul Rose (R-Lauderdale/Shelby/Tipton-District 32), Brent Taylor (R-Memphis-District 31), and Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro-District 13).

Senators London Lamar (D-Memphis-District 33), John Stevens (R-Huntingdon-District 24), and Chairman Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga-District 10) voted against the bill.

Senators Sara Kyle (D-Memphis-District 30) and Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield-District 23) requested to be recorded as present not voting, leaving the bill without the needed votes to pass.